It's Gobbles Time!: Sibling Revelry

When the Lil Lobster Roll was just a wee one, we spent a lot of time worrying about Gobbles and the adjustments he'd have to make sharing his attention, parents, and toys. We never really thought about the fact that he was gaining a full time playmate at home, someone to laugh at his jokes, someone to tickle, someone to hug.

Since the Lobster's been coming into her own, crawling, talking (somewhat), pointing to this and that, misbehaving, taking her first steps (up to 7 at once now, but hubs won't let me say it's walking yet!)and laughing at everything, we've gotten to witness a change in Gobbles. A change that is almost, sort of, maternal. Either that or he just loves to repeat everything I say and do, including both affection and discipline for his baby sister.

He's even made up a nickname for her- whenever his sister is chasing after him, furiously clamoring on all fours as quickly as she can, he shouts "Here comes the (lobster)-Lady Alligator!" and they both crack up as if they have their own little inside joke going. We still have no idea where it came from, and sometimes Cannoli is the Cannoli Alligator, but regardless it's the cutest term of endearment ever when it comes from the little big bro.

Every morning at breakfast, when I'm making lunches for the day and the Lobster declares her meal over by throwing a cup on the ground and tossing food over the side of the high chair I hear No THROW Lobster! Here. I'll give you your cup one more time but if you throw it again that's it, I'm taking it from you. Gobbles proceeds to get out of his seat and pick up the cup for his sister, admonish her one more time, and give her a tickle for extra measure.

In the car, where extended read facing is slowly killing me, the Lobster Roll cries every time we strap her in. I start to sing because that seems to be the only thing that calms her, but once in awhile Gobbles will take over because, according to him, my singing is NOT beautiful. True indeed. He'll play a game with his sister and reach out to grab her hand, slapping 5 before taking his hand back. Repeat. It lasts with enough time to get to school.

On rough mornings, it seems to be the Lobster helping out her big brother. She's easier to wake for school than he, and will come in with me all cheery to give her brother a huge hug to wake up. Sometimes if I try and wake Gobbles up first it's where's my sister, I want my baby!

Sure, it's not always the Full-House-esque picture I painted above. When we're just hanging out playing with toys, typically the Lobster wants EVERYTHING that Gobbles is playing with. After he relents to out Please share with her, she's smaller than you, he finds something new and she is all of the sudden interested in that. He's been pretty patient, but we also have the preemptive strike. If she picks up one of his toys that has gone ignored and neglected for weeks, all of the sudden The Lobster's taking my stuff! Lobster - you CAN'T have that, you're too little!

Or there's the occasion where Gobbles is deliriously tired from not napping and doing as three year old boys do - bopping around the room with the grace of an elephant, and we repeatedly warn him - watch out for your sister. It seems when we warn him is when it happens - he falls on top of her. Commence screaming by the Lobster, comfort by the parents, guilty frustration by the Gobbles, and an attempt to reaffirm our LISTENING EARS PLEASE.

So we're trying to work all this out, it's weird to sit back and think how my daughter is going to have such a different outlook on many things than her brother just from where she falls in line. I wonder what ways her journey as the 2nd child, or middle child if we can be so lucky, will be different than mine (the 2nd & middle child of 3 girls). Obviously having a big brother is different than a sister, but will I treat her as if I "know how she feels"? I guess it's just another thing in parenting where you just keep doing your best every day, and hope they look back and said you did things right.

In the meantime, I couldn't thing of any greater thing than watching the joy my children bring to each other, and in turn to me and their Daddy, every. single. day.